Technology

Access IT magazine - February 2008

Summary: Learn more about access technology through our monthly magazine about IT.

• Highlights from this month's Access IT
• From the cutting room floor

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Highlights from this month's Access IT

• Convert blogs to podcasts
• Study finds mixed response to digital TV switchover
• RNIB sells digital set top boxes with AD
• Better TV for people with AMD
• Create accessible PDFs from Word 2007
• Skype Worldwide mailing list
• Amazon.com "will be accessible to blind users" this summer
• Mobile phone will give blind readers access to print
• Home-based tutorials from BCAB
• New Magic 11.0 public beta now online
• Accessible information from Vodafone
• Accessing audiobooks online
• How to use free podcatching software
• Last.fm to launch free, on-demand music streaming
• Social networking sites exclude disabled users

From the cutting room floor

Articles we just didn't have space for this time!

Everyclick.com aims to triple charity donations

A UK search engine where users make money for charity every time they look something up is hoping to triple the amount it raises this year, thanks to US expansion and new tie-ups with big companies. From every pound raised through searches, Everyclick.com gives 50p to whichever UK charity a user chooses. Since its launch in 2005 it has raised more than £360,000. In the next 12 months it wants to make another £1m.

Everyclick.com has fought hard to gain ground in a space dominated by the likes of Google and Yahoo! by asking schools and businesses to consider making it their default search engine. The attraction for schools is that with more than 170,000 charities available they can support their own parent-teacher association, local sports ground or village hall.

NB - RNIB is registered on the site, so you can help raise vital funds for us!

Free tutorials

A series of free teaching documents aimed at helping blind and partially sighted people access common software - using keyboard shortcuts and screen readers - and achieve recognised IT qualifications including GCSE, ECDL and CLAIT, has been posted online. Andy Spong, a teacher from Humberside, produced the tutorials in response to the expense and poor quality of others. Tutorials for screen reader users (external link).

[Information reproduced with permission from E-Access Bulletin, the free email newsletter on access to technology by people with sight problems.]

An introduction to screen magnification software

January's Braille Monitor includes an article with basic information about magnification software. You can read it online or listen to an MP3 version.

Review of EasyConverter

Read a review of EasyConverter, a software package from Dolphin which converts text files into large print, MP3, Daisy or braille.

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Content author: technology@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/10/2008 15:51